User:Mnbvcxz/CVFDHelp

This is the text for when the CVFD template is placed in the village dump for discussion

This purely optional template is being proposed to mark out pages which may wind up on VFD, and politely warn authors of those articles that they are under consideration for VFD nomination.

This template exists mainly to say "does anyone want to keep to this article before I place it on VFD." Its purpose is to minimize fly-by-night deletions and fights on VFD and the resulting drama thereof. Currently, many articles are deleted within a couple days, if not hours of their nomination on VFD. However, the nominators of such articles may have been planning their nominations for several weeks without informing anyone. With the use of this template, the authors, and other interested, can be warned that a given page is under consideration for VFD.

In addition to minimzing drama, and pissing of newer authors because of fly-by-night deletions, this template should make VFD run more smoothly and quickly. By removing articles of disputed quality, fewer articles will languish on VFD, allowing more articles to pass through, and hopefully, minimizing any potential drama by removing the sense of urgency when discussing potential article deletion.

This template is designed for use by more experienced VFD nominators who keep lists of future VFD noms they intend to make. In fact, the work instructions ettiqette rules require that the placer of this template watch the page and keep add the article to his/her VFD list.

Explanation of Verboseness

The following is quite verbose explanation of how the template should work and various issues about it.

Design

This template is designed to be as inoffensive as possible to the authors of the articles nominated for VFD. Additionally, the template is vauge, by design, of what will happen to the article if someone wants to keep it. Depending on the reaction of the article defender, it may be wise to let the article live, suggest a move to userspace, or even go ahead with a normal VFD against the author's objections. Some uncyclopedia members beleive that one should try to minimize drama and author pissing-off at all costs, even at the expense at allowing VFD-quality articles to survive. However, there are instances in which a deletion should go forward even if it pisses of a fellow uncylcopedia member.

The template is designed to allow the placer or the template to either back off at the slightest objection or pursue a deletion in spite of objection. Basically, it avoids the two extremes of allowing any objector to take the article off a VFD list and the other extreme of commanding, "from on-high", a defense of the article. To avoid the first extreme, it asks for a objection to deletion, and does not promise that the article will remain on mainspace if an objection is raised. For example, mere deletion of this template will not take the article off of VFD. To avoid the other extreme, the template is as inoffensive as possible, and does not, in itself, ask for a defense of the article.

Suggested Use

This template does any not way effect the VFD procedure; it is merely a polite warning.

This following Flow Chart of the correct and "polite" use of this template. In each step, both the potential deleter, i.e. placer of the template, and the article defender, i.e. the person who thinks the article should be kept do what is suggested by ettiquette. It is not a list of rules, but just how suggestions on how to use this template politely and consistently with other users.

Step #1, Potential Deleter (abbr. P.D.) will place template, watch page, add to VFD list. At this point, the potential defender generally should not give reasons why the article should be deleted. Doing say may create unnecessary drama. The article Defender(s) (abbr. Def.) should then:

A) Not make any objection (i.e. nobody will defend the article). P.D. then should place the article on VFD.

B) say "I want to keep the article" in its talk page. Go to Step 4.

C) say "I want to keep the article" in its talk page and give reasons. Giving reasons for defense here is not required or expected, but may be helpful. It is the obligation of the P.D. to first say why the article should be deleted. Go to Step 4.

Step #2, The P.D. decides if the article is really that bad, or not:

A) the article isn't that bad and its not worth a VFD fight and the potential drama. The P.D. defenders removes template, and says "Ok, we should keep it" in article talk page.

B) The article really is that bad, the P.D. offers, up politely, why the article isn't up to Uncyclopedia's standards. Go to step #3.

Step # 3. The Def. thinks over the P.D. comments, and decides if the article really was worth keeping, the Def. will then

A) the article really was delete worthy. Say, that upon further reflection, the article is VFD worthy, P.D. then can place article on VFD, after waiting for any other defenders of the article

B) The article should be kept. Give reasons why the article should be kept, including (but not limited to) the following:

• The P.D. is missing the joke
• promise to improve the article
• Inform the P.D. that this article is a well known in-joke

Go to step #4

Step # 4. The P. D. considers the comments of the Def, and decides if the article really should be kept.

A) The article isn't delete worthy. The P.d. removes the template, ect.

B) the article is, even considering the reasons for defense, vfd worthy. The P.D. responds to the comments of the Def. Go to step 5:

Step #5. The P.D. and Def. have a conversation about the VFD-worthiness of the article, either:

A) the P.D. concedes, because either the article really was good enough, or maybe, because the Def. will throw of fit if it in nominated. then removes template, ect.

B) the Def. concedes. Article stays on VFD list.

C) after a reasonable amount of discussion, neither concede. Article stays on VFD list. The P.D., may, using his judgment to determine if it will decrease, rather than increase drama; as a courtesy, tell the defender when he will nominate the article for VFD.

Suggestions for Dealing with the Improper Use of This Template

Again, these are suggestions, not rules. For most of this is just using your judgment.

Improper Use 1: Invalid Template Addition This occurs whenever the adder of the template lacks authority to currently nominate the article on VFD. Some examples would be on articles under 7 days old, articles with a construction tag, addition by an ip, et cetera. In these instances, the template should be removed with the comment of "invalid template usage" or something to that effect. If your feeling really gracious, you may make a comment about it on the article's talk page.

Improper Use 2: Orphaned Template This occurs when the adder of the template either fails to remove it, or disappears during the process, failing to make a required response. There is no hard and fast rule about how many responses should be made. However, the P.D. should say something in response to the Def. comments, even if its a little as "I'm sorry, but, even considering your comments, I still believe your article is not up to uncyclopedia's standards for mainspace articles" just to show s/he's read what was said.

Improper Use 3: Invalid Deletion of Template This occurs when a template is removed improperly, i.e. before the P.D.(s) and Def.(s) of the article have reached a decision. If this occurs before any response, it should be taken as saying "I want to keep this article" if the article isn't that delete worthy and isn't worth a fight over. Otherwise, it should be restored with a comment that the removal was invalid.

Potential Issues

Issue #1: Misuse of this Template as a reason for VFD survival

The first potential issue with this template would be arguing that the misuse of this template would be grounds for keeping an article on VFD. Since this template does not create new rules, and our purpose is not to have articles on technicalities, I would say that, per policy, the use, misuse, or abuse of this template is not grounds for invalidating a VFD nomination. However, if those on VFD want to save articles because the nominator is a dick, that is their decision.

Issue #2: Template Spamming

Additionally, there is a risk that this template could be spammed by newer users who don't keep records, or even ips. However, I don't see that as much of a problem. For one, anything could be spammed, including other deletion templates. (For example the ICU template, the Fix template, the VFD template.) This template is only a courtesy template, not a maintenance template, so spamming this template would cause less harm than most others. At worst, the following will happen:

• This article is spammed, forgotten about by the placer, and not noticed by anyone. The result is a template on an article nobody cares about.

• This article is spammed, and someone replies. The placer of this article then doesn't reply in turn. The person wanting to keep the article can then remove the template after a while.

Issue #3: Use for VFD Fishing

' Certain people might use this template as a means of "fishing" for VFD nominations. I would regard it as less than courteous to place an article on VFD nom if someone else (who is actually going to get around to making a VFD nom if nobody objects) has placed this tag on the article recently. I wouldn't say it rises to the level of "dickery" though. This might cause some perverse incentive by making the template a de facto "maybe VFD" category, and giving authors a reason to improperly remove it. It will also give spammers of this article a perverse incentive, by, again, making it a de facto "maybe VFD" category.

However, I don't see that as being too much of a problem. For one, "VFD nom-stealing" does no good. If someoone else is going to nominate an article on VFD soon, what good would it do to "steal the nomination" i.e. nominate an article for VFD that has someone elses CVFD tag on it.